Suddenly Famous
by Nine of Hearts
Summary: Pamela Lansbury finds sudden fame and goes off to LA to record their album. Blaine moves to NYC and tries to deal with long distance friendship. AU where Blaine didn't confess his feelings to Kurt in season 2, so they've never dated.


**April 2011**

The day that Kurt leaves Dalton, Blaine locks himself in his dorm room and cries. He's happy for Kurt, he really, really is. Sure, he's a little bit scared because the bullies are still at McKinley and not much seems to have changed. But if Kurt thinks it'll be alright, then, well, Blaine just has to trust him.

Really he's mostly upset because of his own stupidity. He had been _this_ close to telling Kurt that he liked him as more than a friend, but then he had chickened out. And, well, now he had lost his chance. Kurt was back at McKinley, two hours away, and maintaining their best friend status was going to be difficult enough. Throwing in a potential brand new relationship would be way too much pressure. So Blaine is just going to have to suck it up and deal with it.

And honestly, as much as missing his window was awful, at least he still does get to have Kurt in his life in some capacity. He is going to make sure he is the best long distance friend ever.

* * *

**September 2012-February 2013**

Somehow, their friendship survives Kurt going to new York. The first month is touch and go. Kurt gets immediately swept up in _New York_ and apartment hunting with Rachel, and his Vogue internship. At the same time, Blaine is busy with the Warbler council and getting a start on his college applications. Between everything going on, they barely speak. There are a few missed phone calls here and there, the occasional text exchange, sometimes they even find a chance for five minutes of skype, but for the most part, they spend September not talking. Honestly, Blaine hardly notices at first. He misses Kurt, but it isn't overwhelming. After all, they have been going to different schools for the majority of the time that they have been friends. It wasn't unusual for them to not see each other for a while during busy times.

Once October rolls around however, they begin settling back into their old ways: TV watching together (albeit, via skype now), talking for hours about the latest Vogue (with the added insider scoop that Kurt has on a few items), and talking about life. Which now includes talk about boys, because Kurt is in the land of opportunity compared to Blaine. Somehow, Blaine is able to swallow his jealousy for any of the guys catching Kurt's attention until Adam.

Adam is the reason for the first major fight they've had since the Sebastian debacle of last year. In the end, Blaine apologizes for his rudeness, and Kurt starts dating Adam. They start talking less because Kurt's spending time with Adam, but then Kurt comes home for Mr. Schuester's wedding, and they spend the weekend together. And Kurt barely talks about Adam. Two weeks later, they're talking on the phone, and, to Blaine's great delight, Kurt announces that he broke up with Adam. Blaine's heart soars at the news. He's sad on Kurt's behalf of course, because the only bad thing about Adam as far as Blaine could tell was that he wasn't _Blaine_. Plus, as far as movies and books were concerned, break ups sucked even if you were the one doing the breaking up.

* * *

**March 2013**

Mid-March, Blaine gets a call from Kurt and learns that he's apparently starting a _band_, and Rachel just got a callback for a _Broadway show_. Blaine has just heard back from all of the schools he applied to, and feels oddly buoyed by their accomplishments. Granted it probably helps that he got accepted to Tisch and Columbia, and that he even got a callback for NYADA. He's glad that exciting things are happening for his friends - and he's only a little (okay, a lot) jealous. Particularly of Rachel. Hopefully once he makes it to New York he'll do as well as they do. Well. As well as Rachel. He's not entirely certain that a Madonna cover band would suit him as well as he thinks it'll suit Kurt.

* * *

**April 2013**

Kurt's band - Pamela Lansbury - apparently kicks ass at their first show. Elliott is apparently a talented songwriter, so they premiere with a mix of Madonna covers and original music. And someone who works for a record label happens to be there. By the end of the month, they're signed. And Rachel has a role in the upcoming broadway revival of Funny Girl. Apparently New York really is the land of opportunity. And Blaine wishes more than ever that he could have flown out for Kurt's show. The fact that he somehow got into NYADA, almost manages to make up for his inability to go back in time and see Kurt's show. Almost.

* * *

**June 2013**

The Warblers win Nationals. Pamela Lansbury gets put on the fast track of marketing power from their label, and they already have a single on the airwaves. The first time Blaine hears it on the radio, he's driving, and almost crashes the car. Kurt Hummel is singing on the radio. In Ohio.

Two days later, Blaine gets a call from Kurt. Apparently _Lady Gaga_ heard their song and wants to do a mash up of it with one of her songs on the season finale of American Idol. Because apparently she's singing on it this season because of her brief visits as a mentor. Kurt can't make it to graduation because of it, but Blaine forgives him because it's _Lady Gaga_ and it's an opportunity that would be idiotic to turn down. The band might have their song on the radio sometimes, but right now it's only in a "Hey! check out this up and coming band!" capacity. Performing with Lady Gaga would solidify their status as a band to keep an eye on.

The day after they perform on Idol, things really take off. There are photo shoots, music videos, recording sessions for their album that's due out mid-September, talk shows, and even a few red carpet events.

* * *

**July 2013 **

They're back to communicating via occasional text, and the pictures Kurt sends of all the crazy things the band is getting up to. Blaine's busy packing up his stuff to move to New York (he's going to give dorm living a shot) and seeing friends before they all go their separate ways. They start communicating through email once it becomes clear that they're going to be spending a lot of their time talking to each others voicemail otherwise.

Blaine makes his friends watch whatever tv show Kurt is on, and in turn, they tease him and ask when Blaine's going to finally make his move. Generally, Blaine just glares at them (it's too much effort to sum up a response when he keeps waking up at 7am to catch the band on whatever morning talk show their manager hooked them up with that day). Sometimes though, he wonders. Because his crush on Kurt certainly hasn't gone away. In fact, it's probably grown since Kurt left for New York and he's gotten to watch from a far as he began to truly flourish.

They don't have time to date though, and besides, who says Kurt even likes him anymore? It's been over two years since he said he had a crush on him. Who knows how he feels now? He'd _dated_ someone in New York. Surely that was a sign that he no longer felt that way about Blaine. And even if he did? Well, they both had busy lives and could barely keep in regular contact as best friends. How would they manage if they were dating?

* * *

**August 2013**

Blaine moves to New York earlier than most of the other freshmen because he signed up for pre-orientation. Some years this means a group of NYADA students heading out into the wilderness for a week together, luckily for Blaine, this year they're bonding through more city centric means: Broadway based scavenger hunts, and organizing a flashmob.

Two days into the extravaganza, Blaine's about to go to bed after an evening of charades with some of the other students, when he gets a call from Kurt. Normally he would just let the call go to voicemail at 1am when he has to be up in 7 hours, but because it's Kurt, he answers it.

"Kurt?" Blaine says sleepy when he answers the phone.

"Crap. Did I wake you up?" Kurt asks.

"No, no, of course not, Blaine says forcing himself to sit up so he doesn't immediately fall back asleep. "What's up?" he yawns.

"I woke you up. You sleep, we can talk later."

"No!" Blaine almost yelps into the phone. "Now's good. We haven't gotten to talk in ages, and I'm not sure when we'll have time to talk again, so now works. You're just lucky that my roommate hasn't moved in yet."

"Oo, that's right, you're all moved in to school now aren't you? What's orientation like? I feel as though I missed out on that by starting a semester late."

"Well, it's the pre-orientation program I was telling you about in one of my emails. It's been really awesome so far actually. Just meeting people and running around the city together. And then a bunch of us hang out together in the evenings, and it's just a lot of fun."

"That honestly sounds perfect for you," Kurt says.

"What've you been up to? You run into Katy Perry yet?"

"No, Blaine!" Kurt laughs. Blaine grins in return, settling more comfortably against his pillows as a warm feeling spreads through his chest. "I promised I would tell you immediately if that happened."

"Okay, so you haven't met her. What _have_ you been up to then?"

"Everything. Nothing. Everything. We've spent most of this week in the studio recording. Meeting with some producers. Elliott's been getting advice on his songs. The rest of us have been taking voice lessons or other mini crash courses in media relations."

"So you're having fun then?" Blaine asks, fairly certain that he's missing something in Kurt's tone of voice, but too sleepy to put a finger on it.

"I… yeah. Well, mostly. It's really tiring sometimes," Kurt admits. "It can be repetitive and boring, but way too much at the same time. ...what if this life isn't for me?"

"Kurt," Blaine breathes out, wishing he could hug him close. "Of course this life is for you. You were born to shine on a stage. It's just… transitions can be difficult. For all of my bravado about this week, it's been scary. The first night here I just wanted to turn around and go home. But you can't lose your will to succeed just because you're scared and away from home. Just pour your love and heart into and you'll do great. But," he concedes, "if you give it a good shot and it's not what you want to do? You still have time to figure it out. You can change tacts. This all can just be a fun story you tell years down the line about that time you were a rock star for a few months before you retired to focus your attention on broadway, or fashion, or whatever you want to do."

Blaine hears a small sniff, 'When did you get so wise?" Kurt chuckles wetly. "Thank you for that. I know I can do this. I just... it's a lot all at once, you know? And - Why is New York so far away? I was supposed to be there when you moved," he groans. "I have places to show you! Tours to lead you on! It's weird that you're there exploring it without me."

"If it were for any reason besides you _getting a record deal and promoting an album_, I would be upset," Blaine says, attempting to console him. "I do wish you were here… but, you're getting an amazing experience and career boost. I'll save some of the sights just for you when you get back. You can give me the coffee tour of New York!"

"Okay, I'll do that the moment I get back." Blaine yawns loudly, "That's like the fourth time in the past five minutes that you've yawned though so I think it's time for you to go back to bed."

"No!" Blaine whines. "We're talking! I can stay up later," he insists even as he snuggles down under his covers.

"Good night Blaine!" Kurt sings teasingly.

"Good night Kurt," Blaine yawns.

* * *

**September 2013**

At this point, Blaine's fairly certain that he's talked to Kurt's family more than Kurt has. At the very least, Blaine knows he's spent more time talking to Burt than Kurt since he got to New York. It's weird. Well, that's probably a given seeing as how he may know Burt, but they definitely hadn't hung out or talked without Kurt being there. But Kurt's schedule is up the wall crazy these days, so they've kind of taken to pooling their information together to get a better idea of what's going on in his life.

It apparently doesn't even cover half of the whirlwind Kurt has been in. Blaine doesn't quite realize how much they're missing until he sees the band on the cover of Seventeen while he's at the grocery store. So he buys it. And finally manages to talk to Kurt for an entire half hour on Skype.

It's the first time in three months that they've gotten to talk without being interrupted by someone else - or the need to fall asleep.

"So I found a familiar face at the grocery store this morning," Blaine says, fiddling with the magazine out of Kurt's line of sight.

"That's how you're going to start this conversation? No 'Hi Kurt I've missed you so much! How _are_ you?'" he says, affecting a peppy imitation of what Blaine assumes is supposed to be himself. "Fine," he sighs. "I'll bite. Whomever did you see, Blaine?"

"_Well_," Blaine starts. "I haven't seen him in a while, so I'm not _positive_ it's him, especially because he never told me he'd be on a magazine cover, but I _think_," he holds the magazine up to the camera and points, "that's Kurt Hummel."

Kurt giggles. "Okay, okay. You caught me. Pamela Lansbury is on the cover of Seventeen. I just… conveniently forgot to tell you about it because it's a little bit embarrassing."

Blaine raises an eyebrow. "It's a legitimate magazine. None of that self-depreciating nonsense. Besides, if you call it embarrassing now, you won't know what to call it when you overhear your dad bragging about it."

"My dad wouldn't- wait," Kurt looks up sharply, and Blaine shrinks back a little from his accusing glare - it's still fairly tough even through a grainy laptop camera. "How does my dad know? How do _you _ know my dad knows?"

"It's, ah, entirely possible that I sent him a picture and then he called me about it?" Blaine says nervously, just now realizing that Kurt probably has no idea that the two of them talk frequently these days, let alone that they talk at all.

"Are you two hanging out without me?" Kurt jokes.

"We…" Blaine scratches the back of his neck nervously before straightening up in his chair. "We talk on the phone sometimes."

"You…? What?"

"You're just so busy all the time! So we started talking on the phone recently" Blaine says defensively. "And, you know, sharing information about what you're up to because you do _so much_ and we miss you and we figure it's better than badgering you for information all the time."

"You know," Kurt says with an amused huff as Blaine slumps back down in his seat. "You could have just asked for me to get our manager to forward you the bands schedule so I can skip right to the highlights instead of the play by play reel."

Blaine hesitates for a moment, "Are you serious? Or are you messing with me because I'm being a weird and over invested friend. Because a schedule would be awesome unless you were joking in which case I don-"

"_Blaine!"_ Kurt interrupts, laughing. "I wasn't joking, if you and my dad want my schedule I can send it, I just didn't realize it would interest you so much."

"Of _course_ it would Kurt," Blaine says, his voice going soft. "This is you we're talking about."

Kurt blushes lightly, smiling back at him. "Okay, I'll see if I can sync part of my calendar to yours so you can be creepy."

There's a pause, and Blaine wiggles into a more comfortable position, content to just share a silence with Kurt again.

"So… the band has a show next month…" Kurt starts to say. "It's in New York and it's our album release show. You going to come?"

Blaine grins, "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Which is why," he rummages through a drawer for a moment before pulling an envelope out of his drawer, "I already got myself a ticket."

"Really?" Kurt exclaims with a pleased smile on his face. "I was going to offer to get you in for free, but this works too. I can still probably get you backstage if you want," he offers.

"Would I get to meet the whole band? Do you think Kurt Hummel would sign my stomach?" Blaine asks, bouncing up and down in his seat, pretending to freak out, which is made easier by the fact that he is actually excited by the prospect of being backstage.

"Shut up," Kurt says, and Blaine is fairly certain he's blushing. "I'm not afraid to rescind my offer, mister," Kurt threatens.

Blaine laughs, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll stop," he drops his hands back down to his lap. "I would honestly love to go backstage. I kind of want to be in audience for the show itself, but going back afterwards or beforehand maybe?"

"Ooo," Kurt says, "You could come in early for soundcheck! And then I'll put you on the list or something to come back afterwards."

"So fancy."

"I know," Kurt laughs. "Sometimes I feel like this whole thing is moving way faster than I ever dreamed it could and I get freaked out when I say things like that." There's a voice on Kurt's end and he looks over his shoulder calling something back to the other person.

"Duty calls?"

Kurt gives Blaine a sad smile, "I apparently have to go give my input on a few things, that can't wait."

"It's okay, I have an essay I should probably get to," Blaine says. It's not entirely a lie, but he'd blocked out more time to talk to Kurt.

"I miss you," Kurt says.

"I'll see you in a month and a half," Blaine comforts. "And I miss you too."

* * *

**October 2013**

Blaine only gets a moment with Kurt before the concert. He gets held up in rehearsal, despite having told his group that he _absolutely_ had to be out by 6. This of course meant that everyone showed up late and Richard wanted to spend ages going over notes. This means he's late to the soundcheck. He manages to persuade the bouncer to check the guest list though and gets let in only ten minutes late. He of course attempts to make a beeline for the stage because Kurt is _right there_, but Burt intercepts him.

"You made it!" he says, pulling Blaine into a hug.

Blaine hugs him back rather tightly. He's honestly missed seeing Burt. "I got held up with a group project, but I finally got out of there. How's soundcheck, what'd I miss?" he asks, glancing back up at the stage where Kurt is fiddling with some instruments, seeming to have not seen him yet.

"Ya just missed the opener. They were good, but nothing like Kurt's gonna be," he says with a proud smile.

"Of course not," Blaine agrees. "Have you met the rest of the band yet?" he asks, trying to keep eye contact with Burt while his attention keeps slipping to the stage because Kurt is _right there_.

"I got to take 'em out to lunch earlier. Nice bunch. They all seem to get along really well, and they looked happy to be back here. Really excited for tonights show-"

There's a sudden shout from the stage, causing both of them to look over.

"Blaine!" he hears Kurt call out, before jumping off the stage and skipping towards them.

Blaine steps away from Burt, turning so he can pull Kurt into a tight hug. "Kurt!"

"You made it!" Kurt says, squeezing once before pulling away to see his face.

"Yeah," Blaine grins. "I finally just told my group that I had to go and booked it out of there. I didn't want to miss a moment of getting to see you."

"Good. I can't believe a stupid project almost interfered with me being able to see you before the show."

"You look really good," Blaine blurts out. "I mean," he blushes a little, surprised to note a pink tinge on Kurt's cheeks as well. "You obviously always look good. I just meant that you look happier than I think I've ever seen you."

"Well," Kurt beams. "I'm seeing you, and my family, and I'm back in New York and we're-"

"Kurt Hummel!" Blaine hears a guy - Elliott - yell from the stage. "Get your ass back over here. We don't have all day!"

Kurt glances over his shoulder. "Apparently I need to go, but I'll catch you after the show?"

"Yeah, yeah, definitely," Blaine says. Kurt gives him a wave and then climbs back on stage while Blaine struggles not to blatantly stare at his ass because Burt Hummel is _right_ there.

"So," Burt says, clapping a hand on his shoulder as the drummer starts playing. "You still in love with him then?"

"Yes," Blaine sighs, watching as Kurt laughs at something Dani says. "Wait-" he glances over at Burt, eyes wide with panic. "What? I never said I was in love with Kurt."

Burt rolls his eyes, guiding him to sit down at the table with Carole. "It's been pretty obvious to probably everyone but Kurt for at least a year and a half now."

Blaine groans, laying his head on the table for a moment before turning it to watching Kurt. "The timing is just never right to tell him."

Carole rubs his back soothingly, "If you wait for 'the perfect moment' it might never come. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith."

Blaine sighs, turning to look at them both. "I'll tell him at some point, he just - there's so much going on in his life right now, and I don't want to complicate all that by trying to change yet another thing in his life."

The two of them merely nod in response, so Blaine turns his head to focus on the band once more. They really do sound awesome while warming up. And it provides a welcome distraction to the thoughts bubbling up in his head that are mixing with the contentedness he feels when he's with the Hummels. Carole and Burt are basically his second set of parents at this point, which is the only reason he isn't _completely_ freaking out about his _crush's_ parents talking to him about his feelings for their son.

Eventually, soundcheck ends, and the band heads backstage to talk to some members of the press and sign a few posters while Blaine chats with Burt and Carole. When the doors open however, he jumps up and races forward to ensure that he is front and center. He is going to be Pamela Lansbury's best groupie. Well. He doesn't plan on sleeping with anyone in the band after, but he definitely can't deny that he'd fantasized about doing just that with Kurt.

He makes a few friends while he waits. Some of them try to wheedle their way in front of him, but Blaine manages to politely shove them out of the way using his hips and elbows.

The concert itself is _amazing_. At one point, Kurt even pauses a story that he's telling the crowd to wave to Blaine. It's just… really fun, and Blaine is proud of Kurt. This is his first time hearing all but one or two of the songs the band is playing, and he just can't help falling more and more in love with their music as time wears on. He also can't help falling even further in love with Kurt. But he has to ignore that, because Kurt is a _rockstar_ now, and he's running around like crazy, and really, Blaine had thought there was too much competition for Kurt's affections when Kurt had first move out here, with all the adoring fans _now_ Blaine knows he has little to no chance. Even if Kurt is his best friend.

This line of thinking comes to a grinding halt however when, about thirty minutes into the set, the band leaves the stage, leaving only Kurt behind to entertain them.

Kurt begins to speak, only to be interrupted by a loud yell from the back of the room, "That's my boy! You got this Kurt!"

Kurt laughs a little and rolls his eyes fondly. "Thanks dad! …Anyways, as I was saying, Dani got me to start playing piano again back in April, and while we were out in LA recording our album, I sat down, and this song kind of just flowed out of me." Blaine quickly runs through everything he's heard Kurt say about the album and can't remember Kurt having ever mentioned writing a song. Weird. "We made some changes in the studio of course," Kurt continues, seeming to ramble a little nervously. "I mean, I've never really written a song before. I've watched Elliott write stuff and helped him out here or there, but somehow I sat down and got most of it done in one sitting." He finally seems to realize how long his introduction has gotten, so he clears his throat. "It's a bonus track on our album - which you should all buy!

"I know it doesn't sound quite like the rest of the songs, but it means a lot to me. It's, ah," Kurt briefly makes eye contact with Blaine before looking out at the rest of the crowd again. "It's about - well, for me, it's about being in love with someone, but struggling to reach a place where you're both on the same page because the other person doesn't know. At the end of the day though, it's okay because you might be in different cities and you might not be together, but -"

"Hurry it up, Hummel!" Blaine hears Santana hollar from offstage.

"Okay, okay!" he calls back. He turns to the crowd, looking a little sheepish. "Sorry, I'll, ah, stop stalling. I didn't actually tell the guy I wrote this about, that I wrote it about him, and he's here tonight, so I'm a little nervous. Anyways. This is called Home," Kurt says before starting to play.

It starts off with a nice piano line that has Blaine wondering if he can make Kurt play piano for him _all the time_, but then Kurt begins to sing and all coherent thought vanishes.

"_You say love is what you put into it, you say that I'm losing my will. Don't you know that you're all that I think about? You make up a half of the whole," _Kurt glances over at him, blushing lightly before returning his attention back to the rest of the crowd. Blaine on the other hand is left with a swarm of butterflies in his stomach. If there was any doubt in his mind before that this song was for him, it's gone now.

"_You say that it's hard to commit to it, you say that it's hard standing still. Don't you know that I spend all my nights, counting backwards the days 'til I'm home?" _

Blaine gets lost in the music for a little while, reveling in the fact that this was written for _him_, by _Kurt_. And it's just really perfect. He gets brought back to reality when Kurt looks up again, keeping eye contact as he sings, "_I say that we're right in the heart of it, a love only we understand. I will bend every light in this city, and make sure they're shining on you. If only New York wasn't so far away, I promise the city won't get in our way. When you're scared and alone, just know that I'm already home." _When Kurt breaks eye contact - finally seeming to remember that there's an entire audience that he's supposed to be performing for - Blaine can't stop staring at him. Honestly he hasn't done much else for the entire show, but this is different. This song is for him. And, well, if Kurt going on to sing, "_Promise you'll wait for me, wait for me, wait 'til I'm home," _while resolutely _not_ staring at him is any indication, it means exactly what Blaine thinks it means.

Kurt is in love with him. Or at least has some serious romantic feelings towards him. Blaine might be dense sometimes, but he does know that this isn't a song meant for just a friend.

He finishes the song off, singing "_If only New York wasn't so far away. I will be there every step of the way. And when you're scared and alone, just know that I'm already home." _He flicks his eyes up from the keys to look at Blaine again, slowing down as he finishes the song quietly, "_Just know that I'm already home."_

The crowd erupts in cheers, and the band runs back onstage, and Blaine can't hold back the grin spreading across his face as Kurt smiles nervously at him. Dani suddenly knocks Kurt's shoulder, causing Kurt to jump, and then get up from the piano. He quickly hugs her before heading back over to the microphone he'd been using earlier.

"Thank you," he says to the crowd with a laugh and a small dramatic bow. Blaine can tell he's slipped back into his Onstage Kurt persona, but still feels his stomach swoop when Kurt winks at him. "Now what do you say we bring this show back up to tempo?"

* * *

After the show, Blaine heads over to the backstage door, butterflies beating rapidly in his stomach. He still hasn't quite managed to process that Kurt wrote that song for _him_. He may not have said anything, but that song was for Blaine. And it was beautiful and perfect, and Blaine is _terrified._

That doesn't mean he's going to avoid seeing Kurt though. It just means he needs to take a deep breath and remember that whatever happens… it's probably going to change his life. _Fuck_.

When he reaches the door, he gives his name to the security guard standing in front of it, and is promptly let in. He's just about to start wandering around until he finds Kurt, when someone bumps into him.

"Sorry, didn't see you there," a voice that Blaine quickly recognizes as Elliott says.

"It's alright," Blaine says, waving him off. "Actually- I'm looking for Kurt, do you know where he is?" Blaine asks.

"Yeah, I can take you to him, follow me." They start walking in silence, and Blaine's about to compliment him on the show and the record, when Elliott gets a sly grin on his face and says, "So you're Kurt's boy, huh?"

"I'm- what?" Blaine asks, looking over at him in confusion.

"Oh shit," Elliott says, a panicked expression crossing his face. "I, uh, I just meant that he won't shut up about you sometimes. You being his best friend and all."

Blaine can't help but feel a small swell of pride at that. He does know that he's Kurt's best friend, but it's nice to hear it from someone else. Even if he's fairly certain Elliott only said that to cover up for something. "Right…"

"Just, don't tell him I said that?" Elliott asks, stopping outside a door with a sign that says 'Kurt Hummel.'

"Sure, I can do that," Blaine laughs. "It was nice meeting you Elliott, I'm sure we'll have a chance to talk more soon."

"You should come to the afterparty tonight!"

"I'll think about it, okay?"

"Okay," Elliott claps him on the shoulder. "Have fun talking to Kurt," he says before turning around and heading down the hall again.

Blaine turns to the door, takes a deep breath, and then knocks on it tentatively. This is it.

"Who is it?" Kurt calls.

"Blaine!"

There's quiet in the dressing room for a moment and then Blaine hears a loud bang and a curse.

"Kurt? You okay?" Blaine asks, hand hovering over the doorknob.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he hears Kurt huff. "Just knocked something over. You can come in if you want."

Blaine opens the door, peeking his head in first before stepping all the way inside. He immediately lays eyes on Kurt, who is fiddling with something on the table. His hair is still damp from the shower he must have just taken, and he's dressed in some of the most comfortable looking clothes Blaine has ever seen him wear outside of his house.

"Hi," Blaine says, taking a few nervous steps into the room, not entirely certain how to start this conversation. "Your show was really great tonight."

"Thanks," Kurt says, turning and smiling tentatively at him.

There's an awkward silence for a moment as they both will the other to say something.

Blaine opens his mouth to bring up the song, but he's interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Kurt? You have an interview in the green room in five."

"I should-" Kurt gestures towards the door and then glances down at himself and grimaces. "I need to change first though, I totally forgot we were doing press stuff afterwards I was-" he cuts himself off, and then lets out a breath. "Distracted."

Blaine waves his hands at him, giving him permission to change while Blaine stares at the door and wonders for a moment why Kurt was distracted. He's about to start panicking about it because maybe Kurt secretly has a thing with Elliott? When he remembers that the song was _definitely_ for him.

He smiles a little to himself, humming a random tune from the show when there's a tap on his shoulder.

"Ready to go? That is - if you want to come with me?"

"I haven't seen you in months Kurt, I'm not letting you out of my sight," he laughs.

Blaine inwardly preens when he notices the smile tugging at Kurt's mouth and then reaches out to grab his hand, tangling their fingers together. Kurt looks surprised for a moment, but then a full blown grin spreads across his face and he squeezes back.

"So, who's the interview with?" Blaine asks, trying to distract himself from either staring at their hands or tugging Kurt into a room to just kiss him for hours.

"It's, um," Kurt tears his eyes away from where he was staring at their hands. "I'm not actually sure. There've been too many recently. I think it might be VH1? Really I'm just lucky that they all have their name all over their equipment."

Kurt turns right and they enter what must be a press room of sorts because there's video equipment everywhere, and a space cleared out for the band - all of whom are already gathered.

"What took you so long, Hummel?" Santana calls out. "Oh, hey hobbit," she adds, giving Blaine a nod and a wink when she sees their hands.

Unfortunately, Kurt takes this as his cue to let go, as he immediately does so, giving Blaine a wave before heading across the room to join his bandmates.

* * *

Halfway through the interview, the interviewer - Cassie - begins to ask each member their own questions. When she gets to Kurt, she glances back at Blaine before saying, "So during tonight's show, you played a song for a special someone in the audience, how did that go over with him?" Kurt looks over at him for a moment, before he returns his focus to the interview, a light blush coloring his cheeks.

"I... I think it went over better than I expected, actually. I didn't think he would be angry or anything, but he can be a bit dense," Kurt winces and sends an apologetic look over at Blaine, who shakes his head, laughing. He _can_ be a bit dense. Case in point: his sophomore year of high school when it took him over five months to realize that he had _romantic_ feelings for Kurt. "I thought he might not realize it was about him, or that I wasn't just singing it as a friend. And then I was obviously afraid that he _would_ realize, but that he didn't feel the same. "But, uh," Kurt falters, clearly not sure what to say, seeing as how the two of them haven't really talked about this themselves yet.

He wants to speak up, to say something, but he's not sure if he'll be kicked out for calling across the room. So he moves until he catches Kurt's attention, and then mouths 'I love you'. Because he does love Kurt, and he's been holding on to this secret for far _far_ too long.

He knows Kurt got the message, because a giant grin quickly floods his face. "He feels the same way I do actually. We haven't really talked about what that means for us, but I want to keep details of my private life private anyways."

"Even after a display like that at your concert?" the interviewer asks, a bit perplexed.

Kurt laughs. "Good point. It's different though, really. I mean, yes that song is personal to me, and I chose to bring the crowd in on the story behind the song, but music is rooted in storytelling and honesty, so it only made sense. Besides, sometimes you have to make a grand romantic gesture of sorts."

"I see," Cassie laughs. "Alright," she turns to look at Dani and Santana, "What's it like dating while being band members?"

* * *

After the interview ends, Kurt tells everyone he'll see them tomorrow and then tugs Blaine down the hall. Unsurprisingly, they end up back in Kurt's dressing room.

There's a few beats of silence between them before Kurt nervously breathes out, "You love me?"

"Of course I do," Blaine grins, suddenly not at all nervous about this. He gently tugs Kurt closer by their clasped hands. "I've been in love with you for ages."

"Really?" he asks hopefully.

"Kurt," Blaine laughs, reaching for Kurt's other hand and pulling it towards him. "_Yes_. Now please tell me that all the stuff with that song and the interview isn't just something I made up in my head."

Instead of answering, Kurt tilts his head and seals their lips together. It's a soft kiss that only lasts a few seconds, but it's perfect. And when they pull away, Kurt grins and whispers, "I love you too."

Blaine leans in to continue kissing him because he's _finally_ allowed to do this, but Kurt pulls back suddenly. "What does this mean though? Because I want to date, but I don't have time to date? I'm going to be on the road all the time and-"

"Kurt," Blaine tries to break in.

"That isn't fair to _you,_" he continues over him. "And you have school and performances and a life here and mpfh-" Blaine pulls him into a kiss in an attempt to get him to stop rambling. "What was that about?" Kurt asks when they pull away, a dazed expression on his face.

"You were rambling," Blaine grins. "I normally wouldn't say this, but can we just... worry about details and labels and reality tomorrow? I kind of really just want to make out with you right now."

Kurt bites his lip. "Deal. We should probably get out of this dressing room and then we can... go back to my apartment?" he suggests nervously. "Not- not for sex or anything. Just. To talk and make out and catch up."

"Trying to sneakily slip the making out in there, I like it," Blaine winks at him. "That sounds perfect though."

"Oh shit," Kurt says, looking momentarily panicked. "There's an after party that I have to go to. Would you be okay with stopping by there with me for like a half hour? And then we could go back to my place and you could, um, maybe sleepover? My dad and I are going out for breakfast tomorrow and I know we'd both love to have you with us. Plus it's going to be late..."

Blaine just beams at him, butterflies fluttering in his stomach again. Talking, making out, cuddling, sleeping, and then getting breakfast sounds like the perfect way to spend the next 14 hours.


End file.
